Packet for articles of elongated shape

ABSTRACT

A cigarette packet includes a first inner wrapper ( 2 ) enveloping a group of cigarettes, a second outer wrapper ( 5 ) wrapped around the first inner wrapper ( 2 ), a revenue stamp ( 14 ) and, in the event that the packet ( 1 ) is of the rigid type with a hinged lid, a reinforcing frame ( 10 ), all identifiable as specific packaging components of the packet ( 1 ). The packet ( 1 ) includes a layer ( 16 ) of opaque material, removable by scratching, which is designed to conceal at least one predetermined message or image ( 18 ) on at least one predetermined area ( 17 ) of at least one of the specific packaging components ( 13 ).

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/IB99/01905 filed Nov. 30, 1999 which designated the U.S.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a packet for articles of elongatedshape.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a packet for tobaccoproducts such as cigarettes, cigars or the like, to which reference willbe made throughout the following specification albeit with no limitationin scope implied; such a packet can be either of the soft type, or therigid type with a hinged lid.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally speaking, the soft or ‘crush’ type of cigarette packet issubstantially parallelepiped in appearance and comprises an innerwrapper usually of paper or metal foil, fully enveloping a group ofcigarettes, and an outer wrapper or label fashioned from a sheet ofmaterial, generally paper, folded in part about the inner wrapping insuch a way that the top face of this same inner wrapping remainsexposed.

Similarly, a conventional cigarette packet of the rigid type with ahinged lid appears substantially as a rectangular parallelepiped andcomprises an outer wrapper of box-like embodiment fashioned from aprecreased flat diecut blank, generally card or paperboard, also aninner wrapper normally of paper or metal foil accommodated internally ofthe outer wrapper, fully enveloping the group of cigarettes andidentical in shape to the inner wrapper of the soft type of pack.

The box-like outer wrapping typically comprises a container of cuppedappearance, a lid likewise of cupped appearance hingedly associated witha rear top edge of the container, and a reinforcing frame disposedpartly inside the container, which is anchored to a front face and totwo side faces of the selfsame container.

It is standard practice in the case both of soft cigarette packets andof rigid cigarette packets to affix a revenue stamp functioning as aseal and indicating that the packet is subject to an excise duty in thecountry of sale.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the individual packetcomprises a number of specific wrapping components, namely the innerwrapping and the outer wrapping, whether for cigarette packets of thesoft type or for cigarette packets of the rigid type, also the revenuestamp, and the frame in the case of the rigid type packet.

Cigarette packets of the types described above are generally envelopedand sealed within a protective overwrapping of transparent plastic filmmaterial, typically polypropylene, that serves to create a substantiallyairtight enclosure and maintain a desired level of moisture internallyof the packet. The overwrapping generally incorporates a ribbon designedto facilitate the operation of breaking open the packet by establishinga looped tear line that extends around the lateral faces adjacent to theend face, in the case of a soft type cigarette packet, or to the lid inthe case of a rigid packet with a hinged lid.

It is also the practice in the tobacco industry to distribute packets ofthe two types in question with additional items such as cards, couponsand the like, bearing a variety of messages directed at the consumer.Such messages are often written, but more often pictorial, and mightrefer for example to competitions and prize draws or lotteries, and toother games of a similar nature.

These additional inserts, especially when bearing pictures relative toprize draws, lotteries and similar games, are associated with therespective packets internally or externally, as best expedient for theparticular marketing requirement, and in such a way that the consumerwill be able to see the illustrative content only after one or moreobligatory unwrapping steps have been performed.

The decision to associate these additional inserts with single packetsof cigarettes brings with it a serious cost drawback, in that specialcigarette packaging machines have to be procured.

The object of the invention is to provide a packet for articles ofelongated shape, tobacco products in particular, such as will afford asimple and economic solution to the drawback in question.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A packet according to the present invention for articles of elongatedshape is of the type comprising a first inner wrapper enveloping a groupof the articles and a second outer wrapper placed around the firstwrapper, the first and second wrappers constituting specific packagingcomponents of the packet, also removable concealing means intended tomask at least one predetermined area of at least one of the specificpackaging components, wherein the removable concealing means consist ina layer of opaque material that is removable by scratching.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, withthe aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two respective embodiments of a soft type ofpacket for tobacco products according to the present invention, viewedin perspective with one part cut away for clarity;

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate two further respective embodiments of a softtype of packet for tobacco products according to the present invention,viewed fragmentarily in perspective with one part cut away for clarity;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a packet for tobacco products of therigid type with a hinged lid, according to the present invention, viewedin perspective with one part cut away for clarity;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate three further respective embodiments of arigid packet with a hinged lid according to the present invention,viewed fragmentarily in perspective with one part cut away for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In each of the packets 1 illustrated, the inner wrapper 2 isaccommodated internally of an outer wrapper denoted 5; in the examplesof FIGS. 1 to 4 which relate to a soft type of packet 1, the outerwrapper 5 appears as a label 6 enveloping all of the inner wrapper 2except for the top end face 4, whereas in the examples of FIGS. 5 to 8which relate to a packet 1 of the rigid type with a hinged lid, theouter wrapper 5 appears as a container 7 of cupped appearance surmountedby a lid 8, likewise of cupped appearance, hingedly associated with thecontainer 7 along a rear edge 9 (visible only in FIG. 8) and rotatablethus between a position in which the packet 1 is closed (as in FIGS. 5,6, 7 and 8) and a position in which the packet is open (notillustrated).

The rigid type of packet 1 also comprises an inner reinforcing frame 10disposed partly inside the container 7, which is fixed to a front face11 and two flank faces 12 of the selfsame container.

The single packet 1 is thus composed of specific packaging components13, and more exactly the inner wrapper 2, the outer wrapper 5, whether alabel 6 as in the case of the soft type of packet or a container 7 andlid 8 as in the case of the rigid type of packet, and the inner frame 10likewise in the case of the rigid packet.

Each packet 1, be it of the soft type or the rigid type, exhibits arevenue stamp 14 constituting a further specific packaging component 13that serves both to establish a seal when applied to the packet and toindicate that an excise duty is payable on the contents.

In the soft type of packet 1, the revenue stamp 14 is applied straddlingthe top end face 4 of the inner wrapper 2 and with the two longitudinalends affixed to the top edge of the label 6, whereas in the rigid typeof packet 1 the stamp 14 is applied to a rear face 15 of the wrapper 5,coinciding with the hinge edge 9.

Each packet 1 illustrated, soft type and rigid type alike, comprises aremovable concealing element 16 designed to mask a predetermined area 17of one of the specific packaging components 13 making up the packet 1.In practice, the concealing element 16 consists in a layer of opaquematerial that can be removed by scratching; and the hidden area 17 willexhibit at least one item of print, an image 18 in the exampleindicated, carrying a message targeted directly at the consumer,typically a competition or prize draw. The concealing element 16 isshown partly removed in FIGS. 1 to 8, in the interests of clarity.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 5, the concealing element 16 masks apredetermined area 17 afforded by the external surface 19 of the outerwrapper 5, whereas in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 the element 16 conceals apredetermined area 17 afforded by the external surface 20 of the innerwrapper 2. More precisely, in the packet 1 of FIG. 1, the element 16conceals a predetermined area 17 afforded by a front face 21 of thelabel 6; in the packet 1 of FIG. 5, the element 16 conceals apredetermined area 17 of a front face 11 of the container 7; in thepacket 1 of FIG. 2, the element 16 conceals a predetermined area 17 ofthe top end face 4 of the inner wrapper 2; in the packet 1 of FIG. 3,the element conceals a predetermined area 17 afforded by a flank face 3of the inner wrapper 2; and in the packet 1 of FIG. 6, the element 16conceals a predetermined area 17 of the face 3 of the inner wrapper 2that coincides with the front face 11 of the container 7. In this latterinstance, the concealed area 17 forms part of a portion 22 of therelative side face 3 that projects from a front face 23 of the frame 10.

In the example of FIG. 7, the concealing element 16 masks apredetermined area 17 of the outer surface presented by the front face23 of the frame 10. In particular, the area 17 in question forms part ofa portion 24 of the face 23 that projects from the container 7.

Finally, in the examples of FIG. 4 and FIG. 8, the concealing element 16masks a predetermined area 17 of the external surface presented by therevenue stamp 14.

In other versions of the soft and/or rigid packet 1 (not illustrated),the element 16 might conceal a predetermined area 17 of the internalsurface of the inner wrapper 2 and/or of the outer wrapper 5 and/or ofthe frame 10 and/or of the stamp 14.

Finally, the single packets 1 can be overwrapped in familiar manner withan additional outer sheet (not indicated) of transparent plasticmaterial (such as polypropylene) of which the function is to create asubstantially hermetic seal around the packet 1 and maintain a givenlevel of moisture in the contents. Likewise in familiar manner, theplastic material can incorporate a tear ribbon (not indicated) that willextend in a loop around the side faces of the finished packet 1 and thusfacilitate the operation of breaking open the overwrapping.

What is claimed is:
 1. A packet for articles of elongated shape,comprising: a first inner wrapper completely enveloping a group of thearticles; a second outer wrapper placed around the first inner wrapper,the second outer wrapper being a formed wrapper serving as a containerfor the first inner wrapper, the first and second wrappers constitutingspecific packaging components of the packet; and removable concealingmeans for masking at least one predetermined area of at least one of thespecific packaging components, the removable concealing means comprisinga layer of opaque material that is removable by scratching, wherein theremovable concealing means is applied directly to and masks at least onepredetermined area of an external surface of the second outer wrapper.2. A packet as in claim 1, wherein the first inner wrapper and secondouter wrapper are of a soft type such that the packet is of a soft type.3. A packet for articles of elongated shape, comprising: a first innerwrapper completely enveloping a group of the articles; a second outerwrapper placed around the first inner wrapper, the second outer wrapperbeing a formed wrapper serving as a container for the first innerwrapper, the first and second wrappers constituting specific packagingcomponents of the packet; and removable concealing means for masking atleast one predetermined area of at least one of the specific packagingcomponents, the removable concealing means comprising a layer of opaquematerial that is removable by scratching, the packet comprising afurther specific packaging component consisting of a revenue stamppositioned externally of the external surface of the second outerwrapper, wherein the removable concealing means is applied directly toand masks at least one predetermined area of the stamp.
 4. A packet asin claim 3, wherein the at least one predetermined area of the stampmasked by the removable concealing means is less than an entire area ofthe stamp.
 5. A packet as in claim 4, wherein the first inner wrapperand second outer wrapper are of a soft type such that the packet is of asoft type.
 6. A packet as in claim 3, wherein the first inner wrapperand second outer wrapper are of a soft type such that the packet is of asoft type.